Photo: AFP/Ian Kington
Szabolcs Veres
01/08/2023 06:00
State symbols are one of the essential attributes of any state, embodying its identity and sovereignty. In the Republic of Kazakhstan, the state symbols are the State flag, the State Emblem and the National anthem.
The Constitutional Law “On state symbols of the Republic of Kazakhstan” was adopted on June 4, 2007. In accordance with this Law, June 4 is celebrated annually as the day of State symbols in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan is celebrating the Day of State Symbols, which includes its flag, the emblem and the national anthem, on June 4. Although the symbols were first approved in 1992, the constitutional law on the state symbols of Kazakhstan was adopted on this day in 2007, and the date has been celebrated annually ever since. To mark the date, the Kazakh capital will organise more events, including academic conferences, artistic and musical contests, flag distribution events, seminars, as well as concerts and parades. What do the Kazakh national symbols embody?
The national flag of Kazakhstan
The Kazakh flag was created by Kazakhstan’s honoured artist Shaken Niyazbekov. His design is a blue canvas with the golden sun in the centre above a soaring eagle with a traditional vertical ornament nearest the flagpole. The sky-blue colour can be interpreted in a number of ways. It symbolises honesty, faithfulness and flawlessness. It is also a reference to the ancient Turks’ tradition of worshipping the sky. The sun on the flag embodies wealth, abundance, life and energy, while the soaring steppe eagle illustrates the power of the state, its sovereignty and its aspiration for high goals and a sustainable future.
The national emblem of Kazakhstan
The emblem has the shape of a circle and represents the image of shanyrak on a blue background, from which the eyes diverge in all directions in the form of sunlight. The central figure on the national emblem is a shanyrak, the round crown at the top of the Kazakh yurt that for centuries stood as the symbol of a common home uniting all the people of the country. Just as the strength and stability of the shanyrak depend on the reliability of all its yuks (pillars), the sustained development of Kazakhstan depends on the well-being of every citizen. Tulpars, the mythical winged horses, embody concepts like courage, loyalty and strength. The wings symbolise the long-standing dream of the multinational people of Kazakhstan to build a strong and prosperous state. The golden wings represent the diligence of the Kazakhs and the material well-being of the country. In the upper part, there is a three-dimensional five-pointed star and in the lower part, the inscription “QAZAQSTAN” (the name was in Cyrillic script (ҚA3AҚCTAH) before the amendment of the national standard of the Emblem of Kazakhstan since November 1, 2018). The image of the star, shanyrak, yuks, mythical horses, and the inscription “QAZAQSTAN” – the colour of gold. The National emblem was designed by famous Kazakh architects Zhandarbek Malibekov and Shot-Aman Ualikhanov.
The National anthem of Kazakhstan
The national anthem was adopted twice in the history of independent Kazakhstan, first in 1992, then in 2006. The latter version is based on a popular patriotic song, “Menin Kazakhstanym” (My Kazakhstan), written in 1956 by composer Shamshi Kaldayakov to the lyrics by Zhumeken Nazhimedenov. It was first performed on January 11, 2006, during the inauguration of the Head of State. Interestingly, the first President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, contributed to altering the song's original lyrics.
The author is a researcher at Eurasia Center
